CPSC, Robertshaw Controls Company Announce Recall of TS-11 Thermal Safety Control Gas Valves

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #05031) was formally reported on November 1, 2004. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Robertshaw Controls Company of Long Beach, California is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate 123,544 gas valves and 37,350 magnet heads units are affected, placing this recall in the million-unit bracket that typically triggers nationwide consumer alerts and retailer sweeps.

The documented reason for this recall is: If the pilot light goes out, the gas valve can stick in an open position, permitting gas to continue to flow. This can result in a gas explosion and fire, which could result in severe personal injury or property damage. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Free repair or replacement (if necessary). Robertshaw Controls Company will arrange for free repair or replacement of the recalled gas valves. If you smell gas near the appliance or in the building, … — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 22 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.